Airdate: Secrets of our Cities

Greig Pickhaver aka HG Nelson has a new series coming to SBS, Secrets of our Cities (yes SBS loves shows with Secrets in the title!)

In the 3 part series he visits Fremantle, Fitzroy and Bondi, to uncover the “hidden history and unsung residents who’ve helped shape these places into the cities they are today.” But does he take a train to get there…..?

ABC has previously aired factual shows in which Tony Robinson explores Australian towns.

Now an electric, artistic hub, the seaside port of Fremantle has come a long way from its convict outpost days. Greig discovers the waves of migrants who’ve added a splash of colour to the city; including ten-pound poms, Italian migrants and boatloads of young women who arrived on ‘bride ships’. He explores the roots of Fremantle local and ACDC legend Bon Scott, and learns about the Rajneeshees – an obscure religious cult that painted the city orange.

In the trendy, latte lover’s paradise of Fitzroy, Victoria, Greig learns how a former slum where many European migrants made their home evolved into one of Melbourne’s most desirable suburbs. Fitzroy was a hub for activism and the centre of the new call for Aboriginal rights in the 1970s, and once welcomed an unlikely and unscheduled visitor: Muhammad Ali.

Greig travels to the iconic and glamourous beachside suburb of Bondi, Sydney. He learns about the large Jewish community that have called Bondi home since the 1830’s, and even catches a glimpse of a subtle Jewish spiritual boundary that lines the pavilion. He visits Australia’s very first Milk Bar and meets fashion designer Jenny Kee who left Australia for London to follow the Beatles.

Set against the backdrop of moments that have made history, Greig explores the different waves of migration that have shaped some of our most famous cities, and meets fascinating and colourful local characters along the way to remind us of our unique Australian heritage.